Stock-handling machine.



Patentd 0013.1, 1918 l3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. E. WINKLEY1 s'mcJK HANDLING MACHINE.

RENEWED FEB. 18.4918.

MPLWATIUN YILED MAY 38, I916.

Patented Oct. 1, 19$.

mmmw.

E. E. WINKLEY.

STOCK HANDLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED mAYia asns. RENEWED FEB. 185mm.

1,280,349. Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

E, E1 WINKLEY. STOCK HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY IB. IBIS- RENL WED FEB. i8. IEIIE.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

E. E. WINKL EY STOCK HANDLINGK'MAKQHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY I8, 1915. RENEWED FEB. 18.1918- Patented .0013; 1, 1918. w

I3 SHEETS SHEET 6- E. E.WINKLEY.

ETUCK HANDLING MACHINE. AFPLSCATIOH man muff. 19:5. RENEWED FEB. 18 1918.

1,280,349 Patented Oct. 1, M8.

12 shins-sum a.

E. E. WINKLEY.

STOCK HANDLING MACHINE.- APPLICATION FILED MAYIB, 191s. RENEWED FEB. 111.1913.

1,280,349. j Patented 0m 1, 1918.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

fwvzw a E. E WINKLEY.

STOCK HANDUNGMACHINE Avmlcmmu FILED MAY 18, 1916. RENEWED FEB. Is. 1916.

1,280,349 .1 Patented Oct. 1: 1918 13 $HEETS--SHEET 10.

final/wan E. E. wiNKLEY.

STOCK HANDLING MACHiNE.

APPUCATJON FILED MAY l8- 9Ii.i- RENEWED FEB. HL 1918.

Patn'hzd Oct. 1, 1918.

E,-E, WINKLEY.

smcx HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY18.HH5.

RENEWED FEB, 18.1919.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

E. WiNKLEY. STOCK HANDLING MM mummmn FILED MAY 18. I916- aauzwan'nza, 18.1918,

iHiNE.

Patented Oct. 1, 15MB.

13 SHEETS-SHET 13- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'ERAS'I'US E. WINKIAEY, OF LYNN,.MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOH, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COBPORATION, OF PATElvSONQNEW JEINHY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Applicacion filed May 1B, 1916, Serial- No. 93,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Elms'rns E. VVINKLE a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of h'lassaclnlsetts, have invented certain new and useful 1111])1'01'9111611138 in StocloI-Iarr dlinp Machines? and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtai'ns to make and use the same.

This invention relates to machines for operating on pieces of material such, .for example, as shoe-stock, and particularly pieces or lifts of leather or other material used in the manufacture of heels. Theintock-supporting or retaining means may lwzuljllsted imultaneously, and proportionately or c p1ally,so that the machine may be conveniently and. quickly adjusted for operation on pieces of stock of dific'rent sizes.

For the pulposes of such adjustment the machine of the present invention comprises,

in combination with the relatively mm ahle ahutnients which engage and confine the means interconnecting said .ahutlnents,

whereby adjusting movements may be im-- parted to thema'll iniultaneoi'islys and from a singlepoint of operation, and in the mach inc specifically described and illustrated vide a-niachine of the class in question irith Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918'. Renewed renruar s, 1915. Serial No. 217,951..

improved automatic mechanism for arrest ing its operation in case of a. failure of the 554 stock-handling mechanism to discharge a piece oi stock in the proper position- In this respect the invention relates particularly to a machine in which a piece of shoe-stock is held, during an operation thereon or during 60 the transferral of the piece from one position to another. in a receptacle-shaped or adapted to conform to the outline or tonm'bf the piece and to hold the piece in a definite positlon.

To this last mentioned endthe invention comprises afeeler moyably nio-unted adjacent to the said receptacle, so that the feeler will he engaged and operated by a piece of stock of which any part projects unduly beyond or outside of the receptacle .in consequence oi" failure of-the piece to he peperly intrmhl'ced into and seated. in the receptacle, and connections'between the. feeler and power mechanism to interrupt the driv-' 5 ing of the machine whenever the feeler is. thus operated.

Other objects of the invention, and the features of construction and operation-by which they are attained, will be set forth 50 hereinafter. in connection with the dcscrip tion of the illustrated embodiment. of the invention i In thev accmnpanving drawings, Figure isa side-elevation of a machine embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a. Vertical. section on the line-2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan-view of a portion of. the machine,v with parts .hroken away to show the construction more fully; Fig. 4 is a partial plztnv View. in section approximatelyon the line pleccs of stock at a plurality of pos1t10ns',

4--l in Fig. 1; Fig.5 is ayertical section on the line 5-5 in. Fig. 1, but on a larger scale than the" latter'figure; Fig. 6 is a section on the line' (i6 in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-? in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale; Fig. 8

is a detail plan-view, partly in section on, the line S 8 in Fig. '7 Fig. 9 is a. side-elevation, partly in vertical section on the line 99 in Fig; 3, showing particularly the picker-mechanism of the machine; F 1g. 10

is a horizontal section on the line 10-10 in Fig: 9, but on trl'arger scale than the latter left to rig-ht in Fig. 10;'Fig. 12 is-a section dlcd consists of pieces on. the line 1'2 .12 in 9, but on a larger sealethan the latter figure; Fig. l3 is a detail plan-view, in side-elevation, of the automatic st()] J--lIlG(.-lltlHist]! of the machine; Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail-view of parts shown in Fig. 13; Fig. l is a. (letaihview, in elevation, of a portion of the automatic stop-nicchan'ism and other part adjacent thereto; Fig. It is a vertical section on the line 1ti--16 in Fig. h, but on a larger scale than the latter figure; Fig. 17 is a vertical section on the line 17---17 in Fig. 3, but on a larger scale; Fig. l8 is a dctail-ricw. partly in vertical section, showing 'ia-rticu larly the lllLK'lillllSli) for raising the top-lifts from the carrier and introducing them into the staclt-holdcrs: Fig. 1! is a horizontal section on the line lil--ll in Fig. 2, but on a larger scale than the latter figure; and Fig. .20 is a detail plzui-ricw. showing particullarly a portion of the adjusting-n'icchanisui for the stacl -holdcrs and the lift-receptacles.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine. of the type disclosed in Let ters Patent of the l mited States, No. 1.27(J,-t76 granted June 25, 1918, on an application filed January 1916, Serial No. 73.8%. by the present applicant. In rnachines of this type, the stock which is hanof leather or other sheet-metal which have been died-out in the form of lifts suitable for use in the manufacture of shoe-heels. The operation performed upon these heel-lifts, by the machine in question, is that of grading or sortinn them in accordance with a mass-characteristic of the lifts. This operation is performed by operative ii'istrnmei'italities which arc adapted to suhjectcan-hheel-lilt to a heavy pressure over a definite limited portion of its area. and tlici'eafte-r to discharge the lift into one or another of a series of stack-lmldn-ns in accordance with the thickness of the lift at said definite portion when subject to the said (ann 'nession.

' Vv hile the various 'lcntures of the present invention are useful. and may he convenient-iv described as employed, in connection with a machineof the type and performinn the specific operation just described. the i""ention is not limited to embodin'ient in "nparticular machine, but its various fea turcs are useful in connection with various machii'ies for handling stock of different kinds and for performing various operations upon such stock.

in the illustrated nuu-hine the he l-lifts to be operated upon are hchl in a horizontally (attending stack. upon a food-table. and are withdrawn one at a time from the cud of the stack by means of the picl er-mechanism hereinafter described. Each lift so withdrawn is then deposited, by the nicknamcchanism, in one. of a circular series of re ceptaeles provided at the periphery of a carrier which rotates about a vertical axis. The carrier rotates with a step-by-step movement. thus bringing each lift successively to a point at which it is operated upon by the pressing instrumenti-ilitics, and then to a series of points in registration with a series of stack-holders. into one or another of which the lift is discharged from the receptaclc. The machine also comprises automatic sttip-mechanism for arresting its op eration wlu-neri-ir a lift, which has been disengaged by the picker-inecln nism, fails to enter and be seated accurately within the appropriate receptacle on the carrier. These several mechanisms will be described in the order of their operation. 1

In its general structure the machine comprises a hollow column 34. upon the upper end of which is fixed a generall \'-eircular trameplatc 26. whi a sccond stationary tramc-plate 28. similar in form. is fixed ahovc the plate 26 and connected rigidly ilierclo hy uprights '50. The feed-mechanism is sup orted upon a feed-table in the form of a. bracket 32.. which extends from one side of the franrestructure just above do ed. The various mechanisms of the machine, with the exception of the stopmecha.nism..are actuated by cams mounted upon a cam-sl'iaft 3% which is journaled. in horizontal position, withinthe lower part of the column 24. as shown in Fig. 2.

The feed-mechanism is shown particularly in Figs. 1, 3, 5, G, 7, 8 and 9. The stack of lifts X is su -iported upon a grooved horizontal rail 36. which is mounted above the feed-tahle 32. and the lifts rest. upon this rail with the curved baeloport-ionfs- 0fthcir cd 'rcs downward. The stack of lifts is su .)p ')rted laterally by guides 37. which constitiae parts of housings in which two endless chains 38 are arranged with parallel stretches extending talongside the stack. Each chain is provided, at intervals, with spring-pressed pointed pawls 4.0, which extend inwardly beyond the guides 37 so that they may engage the lateral margins or the side edges of whatever lifts chance to be adjacent to them, and thus drive the stack forwardly as a. consequence of the movement of the chains. Owing; to the yieldablecharacter of the pawls, additional lifts may be sprocket-wt]eels 4.6, the wheels being fixed on the upper ends of shafts 48 which are journalcd vertically in two frames 44. In order to drive the chains the shafts at the inner ends of the frames are p1'0vided,as

shown in 5, with worn-Wheels 50 at their lower ends, and these worm-wheels e11- gage right and left-handworins on a shaft 52 which is journaled transversely on the feed-table 32. The shaft 52 is actuated intermittently, by means of a rocker-arm 54 ivoted on its outer end, this arm constitut mg a member of a .roller-wedge clutch as shown in dotted lines in 'Fig. 1,the other member of the clutch being a disk 55 fixed on the shaft.

. The arm 54 is connected, bya link 56, with one arm of a bellrcrank lever 58 pivoted on a bracket 59 depending from the feed-table. The other arm of the lever 58 is forked and provided with rollers which engage an annular groove in a sleeve '64 which is mounted on ashaft 62;- The shaft is supported, at one end,- in a bearing on the bracket 59." The sleeve 64 is free to slide ,upon the shaft, but is pressed toward a collar 60, which-is fixed on the shaft, by means of a spring (56 coiled about the shaft. The other end of the spring rests against a collar 68 which is fixed to the By means which will be hereinafter described, intermittent longitudinal movements are imparted to the shaft 62, and at each lefthand movement, the sleeve 64 rocks the lever 58in a direction to cause the ar1n54,

acting through'the friction-roller, to impart. a partial rotation to the shaft 52. This motion; is transmitted to the chains 38 in a direction to cause them to advance the stack of heel lifts on the rail 36. Tliiemovement of the chains is coi'itirmous until the movement of the stack arrested by means hereinafter descril'icd, and thereafter the conti n ucd movement. of the shaft 62 merely causes compression of the spring 66. The opposite movement of the shaft 62 is imparted positively to the lever 58 by means. of the collar 60, so as to rock the arm 54 back to its original position.

i Toadjust the feed'niechanism for lifts of dliferent'sizes, vertical movementoff the rail 36 is necessary. Accordingly this railis supported on two stems 70, which slide vertically through the feed-table (Figs. 1 and 5.) .Each'stem is provided, atits lower end, with a pin i,72 which is engaged by the slotted end withf i binding-screw 78, which extends,

movement res'ultin of anarm 7%, and these arms are fixed on a rock-shaft, 76 extending lengthwise of the table. .,1,At the outer "end of the rock-shaft an arm 77 is fixed and this arm is provided Accordingly the frames 4A are arranged to move transversely on the feed-table, being normally fixed to the table by binding-screws ,80 which project through slots in the base ivebs of the frames, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. Sockets 82, at the ends of the .frames &4, are engaged by levers, 84, the hubs I connected together-by gear-teeth So, so .as to have equal movements in opposite directions.

By this arrangement the frames 44 are held always parallel and equidistant from the rail 36.

The feed-mechanism of the present machine is similar, in its general characteris ties, to that disclosed in the said Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to and it there fore not claimed broadly as a part of the present invention. It involves, however, an additional fieature constituting an improvement over the mechanism of the said applle cation. At the inner end of the stack of lifts, means are provided, not only for supporting them below and laterally, but also for engaging' the upper or breast-edges of the lifts to insure their exact alinelncut and correct location at the time when they are witlr drawn from the feed-meclmnism by the picker-mechanism; "The means in question are showiras embodied in the form of agage stem 9' slides vertically in a guide-way 96, and is provided with a pin 98 which engages the forked end of a lever 100. The lever is connected, by a rod 102, with an arm 10-1, this arm being integral with the hub 106 of one of the levers 84. A gear-segment 107 on the hub 106- meshes with, a segn'lent 90 fixed on the shaft 76, From this arrangement it results that 'the adj ustment of the arm 77, causes in addition to the adjustnwnt of the other par'ts' of thejeed-mechanisni, a corresponding adjustment of: the-position of the gage-plate 92, so=thatthis plate'is always in position to engage the breast-edges of the heel-lifts which the feedanechanism is otherwise adjusted to handle.

The inner end of the stack of heel-lifts is normally sup 'iortcd by ag pair'of stop-fingers 108, shown 'pliriic'ularly in. 7 and 9. These fingers are pivoted on a stud 110, which is mounted in inclined position on the feed-table, and the fingers are provided with depending arms which are connected, by

links 112, with a sleeve 114. This sleeve slides upona'rodfllG which is fixed on the feed-table at a right-angleto the stud 110. The sleeve "ll l is oonnected, by links 118', with an arm 120 which projects from a sleeve 122, and the sleeve is journaled on a rod 1'24 which is fixed beneath the feed-table.

A second arm 12$,depending from thesleeve.

122, is connected, by a rod 128, with an arm 130 (Fig. 2) which extends upwardly from a sleeve 131. The sleeve 131 is journaled on a rod 132 fixed in the column 24-. and is provided with a depending arm 134 which car ries a roller 136 in engagen'ient with a cam 138 on the cam-shaft 34. The eam-mcchz-tnism acts, through the connections above described, to swing the stop-lingers 108 away from each other, and out of engagement with the endlnost lift of the stack. at the time when this lift is to be withdrawn by the picker-mechanisin, while the opposite. re-

turn movement of the parts is produced by a spring 139 attached to the arm 134. v

The inclined position of the stud 110 has the. useful result that it causes the stop-file gels, in their movements into and out of operative positiomto follow paths in planes inclined to the surface of the lift engaged by the fingers, and remote from the. edge of this'lift. so that the movement oi the fingers cannot be interfered with by accidental ongagement with the edge of the lift when the fingers return to operative position. This construction and mode of operation constitutea' novel feature of the present invention.

The feed-mechanism of the present machine is provided, like that of the said application, Serial No. 73,899, with means for clamping, the lifts at. the inner ends of the stack, to support them against the pressure of the picker-mechanism. '1l1esemeans eom prise clan'ip-bloc-ks HO -(Figs.'7 and 9) which are adjustably mounted on slides 142. The slides have bifurcated upper ends, which are guided by av transverse guide-bar 144 fixed above the feed-table. At their lower ends the slides are perforated and threaded to ceive a. shaft 146 having right. and left-hand threads. The shaft 1th is jonrnaled on the feed-table and is provided, at one end, with a pinion 148 meshing with a segmental gear 150 which is pivotally mounted on the feedtable. The gear 150 is fixed to a second segmiital gear 152, which is engaged by a rack 154 which slides vertically in a bearing on the side of the feed-table.

The rack 154; meshes. atjtslower end. with a segmental gear 156 mounted on the shaft 62. The gear 156 is yoke-shaped, and is journaled loosely on the shaft, but. one of its lateral members is embraced between the fixed collar 68, and a second collar 157 which latter is also fixed to the shaft. By

means ofeooperating shoulders 160 on the gear and the collar 68, the rotative movement of the gear on the shaft 62'is limited. A torsion-spring 158, interposed between the gear and the collar 157, and secured at one end to the gear, and at. the other end to the shaft 62, normally maintains the shoulders 160 in engagement, so that the rotation of the shaft 62 in. one direction. moves the gem;

positively, while opposite rotation of the shaft moves the gear yieldingly through the force of the spring 158.

The above described arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft 62, as transmitted to the gear by the spring 158, causes-'a downward nmvcment ot the rack 15 1 which, in turn, through the gear-segments 150 and 152 and thepinion 148. causes rotation of the screw-shaft H6 in a direction to move the 76 slides 142 and the clamp-blocks toward each other and into firm engagement with the heel-lifts, while the opposite movement of the blocks, by which the heel-lifts are unclamped, is caused positively by theopposite rotation of the shaft (32. The rotary movements are imparted to the shaft 62 by means which will be hereinafter described.

Since the clamps have only a short range of operative movement, it is necessary to adjust them, in their original positions, according to the size of the heel-lifts upon which the machine is operating. For this purpose the pinion 148 connected with the shaft 14-6 by means of a sleeve 162, which is integral with the pinion. and is splined upon the shaft. The sleeve is provided with a. knurled head 16-1, and a compression-spring 168 is interposed between the sleeve and a disk 16G fixed on the end of the shaft; as 96 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. When adjustment of the clamps is required, the knurled head 16% may be pulled outwardly, thus sliding-I the pinion out of engagement may then be rotated in one direction or the other to more the clamps toward or from each other prior to the engagement of the pinion by the gear.

. The pielceranechanism is shown. particularlv in Figs. 3, 9, 10, 11 and 12. A mem ber- LT-T) of the frame of the machine supports the bearings of a horizontal shaft 172, upon the inner end of which is mounted a rotatable multi-picker member comprising fOtlr radial arms 174. Each of these arms.

constitutes a tubular guide-Way inwhich one of the pickers is supported and".-guided.

Each picker has a shank mounted in :bne

of the guideways 174:, this shank comprising 1515 the stem, and is provided with elongated gear-teeth 182 which also fit and slide within the guideway. At the outer extremity of the shank is a. head in which are se cu r ed four curved claws 184. These claws pro- 'ject helieally from the head, that is .insuch ftz Iii a direction that they may be introduced into i a heel-lift by a helicalmovement like that of a cork-screw. Each claw consists of a piece 1 of wire bent into helical form and sham ened at one end.

The head in which tie 186- theFpathw-iy; 200,

wardly fronlia sleeve rod 132, shown in F g,

claws are fixed comprises an inner cylindrical member 186, which is integral with the stem 176 and is split to permit a slight resilient expansive mover'nent. The claws are seated in helical grooves in the meme her 186, and are closely embraced by a collar 188. A screw 190, threaded into the end of the stem, is provided with. a conical head engaging a corresponding conical perform tion in the member 186, and when this screw is driven home, it expands that inmber so as to cause the cla-ws' to be securely clamped against the inner surface of the collar 188.

Upon lbosening the screw the collar may be removed and the claws may then he readily reinoved forreplacement or sharpening.

i For the purpose of imparting longitudinal. movements to the picker, a sleeve 192 is 'mounted on the stem 176, and'a compressionspring 19 1 is interposed between the sleeve 180 and a washer 196 which is splined to the stem and rests against the sleeve 1.92. This spring acts to retain the sleeve 192 normally against the collar 178. shown in 10. The sleevehas a-lateral projection which eX- tends through a longitudinal slot in the guideway 174, and carries a roller 198 This roller traverses a circular pathway 200 which is formed on the face of a stationary disk 202. The disk-is provided with a hub 20% which serves as ahcaring-sleeve for the shaft 1.72 and which is fixed in the firamemember 170.

I The engagement of the roller with the pathway retains the roller normally in its innermost position, as in Fig, 10, but, for the purpose of producing the outward movements of the roller by which the picker is advanced, the pathway is interrupted at two points by gaps to permit the engagement of the roller with two actuating-levers. ()neof these'levers, 42,06, is provided with two lugs 2()8-v-"hich normally form a- .continuation of as shown by dotted lines in r 1g. 9. This lever 206 is pivoted on a istud209, and its lower end is connected, by a rod 210, with an arm212 projecting up- 214 which turns on the Depending fron'rthe sleeve 214 is an arm 21% \vl'1icl1-oar-' ries a 5 31 engaging a cam 220 on the cam-she The cam-mechanism 3133i; descrih'eoi, so timed that when one of the rollers 198 is moved into thesiiiace hetween the lugs 208 and has come to rest with the parts in the position of Fig, 2,; the upper end of the lever 200 is swung toward the left, thus advancing the picker into engagement with the exposed surface otgthc endinost lift in the stock on the feedduhle.

At the same time it ie'hecessary to advance the pickerMa'hiQh -is in the lowern'iost position, this picker hein g'th ceived a lift from the feed--n'ieclianisin and which is in position-to deposit thralift in one of theyrcceptaclcs hereinafter described. 1

-Which the rollers 198 move is connected, by a pivot 24-8, of which one end is which 11 re For the purpose of advancin this lowermost picker, a second actuatingever 222 is employed, this, lever being mounted upon a stud 224 and having lugs similar to the lugs 208 which enter age}; in the'lower part of the pathway 200 and form a continuation thereof.

The lever 222 is actuated by connection With. the lever 206. For this purpose-itis provided with an arm 226 which is connected, by a link 228, with the upper arm of the lever 206.

In order to lock the picker-supprting arms 174 securely against any rotative movement during the advancing and retracting movements'ot the pickers, each arm is pro vided with two flanges 230, which are'located on opposite Sides otthe slots through and are'fshaped to conform to the path ofimovement of the lugs 208 on the levers,206 and 222 and to embrace said lugs when said levers are actuated.

The rotative movements are imparted to each, piclier hy a rack'232, (Figs, 9 and 10) 'Whichls mounted to slide in a transverse hearing on the corresponding arm 174. The rack meshes with the teeth 182 on the, shank of the picker. The movements of the rack are derived from the levers 206. and 222.

For this purpose, a bell-crank lever 234: is

mounted on a stud 236 on the arm 174,, and 238, with one end of-a slidahle plate 240, which rests against the outer surface of the rack and retains it in its bearing. is-connected, by a stud 242, with asecond The other end of the plate 240' helhcrank lever 24Awhieh is mounted on a stud 2&6 on the arm 174. The rack is longb tudinally bored to receiveatension-spring fixed to a pin 250 in the rack, 'While the other end is attached, lay a pin 252, to the bell-crank lever In Fig. 9 the rack corresponding to that picker which is about to receive a heel-lift is in its up er position, Where it is retained by the fri tion of the parts. After the picker bas been advanced, as above described into engagement with a lift, the continued movement of the lever 206 results in a sliding movemcntfof the sleeve 192-011 the stem 176, and in' the ,con'ipression, of the spring 194. Ah the same time alug 254 on t is upper end. of the lever engages the up per arm ofthe' hell-crank lever 234: and

rocks this lever in a direction to moveth'e plate 240 downwardly. Owing to the ten sion of the-spring 248 pates in thejdownward movement, causing the picker to rotate so thatthe claws 184 are-introduced into the substance otthe lift. This rotation continues until th e hea'd of the picker has been drawn into firm engagement with the surface of the lift, whereby further rotation is arrested. The continued downthe rack 232 particL Ward movement of the plate 24-0 thereafter is )ermitted by elongation of the spring 248.

be contrary rotation of the picker, to release the lift when the picker occupies its discharging position, is produced by engagement of the corresponding bell-crank lever 24-4 by a lug 256 on the lever 222. The lever 2&4 has an arm which engages the end of the rack and thus moves it positively to its original position.

For convenience in disassembling the picker-mechanism, for the purpose of replacing or sharpening the claws, or for other repairs, the plate 240 is arranged to be easily disengaged from the lever 244. The stud 242 is provided with a. flange which is engaged by a plate 260, said plate being laterally slotted to receive the shank of the stud,-as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, The plate 260 is mounted to swing about a. pivot-screw 2G2 and is provided, on its inner surface, with a boss 264 which normally is held in engagement with a. recess in the plate 24-0 by the action of a spring 261 been iing against the plate 260. When the mechanism is to be disassembled, the plate 260 may be swung out of engagement with the stud 242, whereupon this stud maybe withdrawn from the lever'244. The plate 240 may then be swung out of engagement with the rack, which may then be reuni..-re "x from its bearing and the picker can then be withdrawn from the arm 174.

The intermittent 'q er-rotations are im parted to the shaft 1 i by mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. A skew-gear 266, on the outer end of the shaft 172, .meshe's with a skew-gear 268 on the upper end of a shaft 270 which is jonrnaled on the tran'ie of the machine. The lower end of the shaft is connected, by a train of idler-gears 272 (Fig 4), with a gear 274 fixed to a hub 276. This hub turns about a tube 278 which is fixed in upright position at the middle of the main frame of the machine.

The gear-274 has intermittent partial rotations which are-imparted to it by the same mechanism which pr-duces the sliding and rotative movements of the shaft 62' hereinbefore described. Thismechanism is shown particularly in'Figs. 2, 4; and 17. The shaft (32 extends alongside the gear 274, and upon it asleeve 280 is fixed. This sleeve is provided with a series of partly annular gearteeth 282, which are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear 274 and which also mesh with the teeth of a gear'segment 284.

.The se ment is carried on the u er .end of 306, which extends integrally embraced by the eml-1'ue1nbe.rs. Longitudinal movement of the locking-member,is prevented by the engagement of its ends with bosses on the frame-plate 26, as shown in Fig. -.l. The part 292 engages longitudinal shoulders on the sleeve 280, as shown in Fig 1.7, so that, while there be relative lob gitudinnl movement. of the. parts. they are ronsimined to rock together about the axis of the shal'l 62, the shaft also being rocked by its connection with the sleeve 280.

To produce rocking-movenients of the pans above described, an arm 296 projects integrally from one end of the locking-member 294-, and onnected, as shown in Fig 2, with a rod 1W8 pivoted, at its lower end, to a (am-lever 300. This lever carries a roller 302 which engages a path in the (M11 290.

The mechanism just described operates as follows: The parts are shown in the drawings in the ositions assumed by them at the end of a partial iotat'ive movcnniiit of the gear 274, this movement beingin the direc tion of the arrows in Fig. 4. The next movement of the mechanism consists of a rockingmiovement. produced through the lever 296 and the cam-mechanism connected therewith, and this rocking-movelnent, in addition to causing a partial rotation of the shaft 62 for the purposes which have been hereinbefore described, causes the teeth'282 on the sleeve 280 to disengage the gear 274 while the latter is engaged by a series of lockingteeth 30+ on the locl ing-member 292. By these leeth the gen r 274v is ten'iporaril v locked against rotation. A longitudinal return movement is then imparted to the sleeve 280,

by the operation of the gear-segment 28b sleeve 280 is fixed to the shaft' 62,-- it, im-- parts to the latter its longitudinal movements. which are utilized as hereinbefore described. 1

The stock feeding and handling i'nechanisms which have been explained in the foregoing descrip i are not claimed herein since these mechanisms form the subject matter of adivisiQ, 1al application Serial'No. 223,220, filed Mare 18, 1918. The heel -lifts' are discharged by the pickermechanism into a series of receptacles formed at the periphery of a circular car'- rier which rotates about the vertical tube 278. This ca'rriereomprises a circular plate fromthe' upper end of the hub 276 of t e gear 274, sc that the intermittent partial rotations of the gear arefimpartecl to the carrier, and thus each lift has" a stcp hy-step movement through the machine. A-ti the periphery of the plate 306 are fixed a series of plates 308,

which constitute supports upon which the lifts may rest in horizontal position, each such support being constituted, as shown in Figs. 3 and :20. by adjacent portions of two contiguous plates.

The liftuwceptacles are completed by abuti'nents, in the form of lingers, arranged in pairs 310 and 312 which are adapted to engage the edges of the heel-lift resting upon the support. The. fingers 310 engage the curved rear edge of the licel li'ft, while the fingers 31). engage the ln'east-edge. These fingers are normally'fixi-.-.d in place, in accordance with the size of the lifts upon which the machine is operating, but they are adjustable to different sizes of lifts, by means hereinafter described.

The fingers are so adjusted as to closely confine the heel-lift against lateral 0;: r0

tative movement in the plane of its.extension, and accordingly, when the lift is introduoed into one of the receptacles by the downward advancing movement of the lowermost picker, as before described, the subse quent reverse rotation of the picker causes 80 disengagement of the claws with the lift, since the fingers in'event this rotation from being shared by the lift. Upon the succeeding retraction of the picker, the lift is therefore left lying in the receptacle. It may sometimes happen t-l'nit.,. n\'i1ig to the accidental inclusion of a heel-lift of the wrong size or throu h other causes, a. liftis inaccurately deposited in the receptacle. In such a case, some portion of the lift will project from the receptacle and lie above or on top of oncv or another of the fingers 310 and 312. The automatic mechanism for interrupting the. operation of the driving mechanism hereinhefore referred to .is'adapted' to detect such a condition and to arrest the operation of the machine before any damage can result, and it isalso adapted to yield and permit the arrest of the machine in case any unusual resistance encoun- 5 fared-in its operation. This stop-meehanisni "is shown particularly in Figs. 2, 3, 13, 14, 15 and 19.

-The machine isdriven by, a powenshaft inside. the rim of the pulley 320.

to right, thus 'maintaining tlfe gears 330, with a vertical Worm-shaft This shaft is provided with a worm which meshes with a worm-gear 33% on the camshaft 34-, and by these means the cam-shaft is rotated constantly during normal operation of the machine. Upon the power-shaft 314 is mounted a sleeve 336, (Fig. 19) which free to slide upon the shaft, but which transmitted, tl'irough'the disk and the hub,

to the collar 338and thus to the p(.n\'ei'-sliaft.

The belt- 322 is embraced by a l orlced beltshipper 344, (Figs. 13 and H) which is carried at the upper end of the upright arm of a hell-crank lever 34-h. 'lhis lever is pivoted at 348 on the frame oi the machine. and lS'Dl'OVldttl with a horizontal arm 3.50 which is pressed upwardly by a compression-spring The lever thus tends to rock in a direction to shift the belt from the driving-pulley 320 to the loose pulley 318. This movement is inn-mall prevented. however, by a detcni' 3:34, mounted onjthe arm 350, which engages a latch 356 carried by a'trip-lever 358. This lZL'lP-lt-Wtl is fixed on a rock-shaft f}(5() journaled on tlie'fra me of the machine. acting against a lug on the tnipdeuer, tends to rock the latter from left to right, as,

shown in Figs. 13 and 1-1.. and thus to retain the latch in engagement with the detent. but when the trip-lever is swung in the. oppo site direction. the shipper-lever 3+6 neleased and thereupon shifts the. belt, its

movement being terminated by the engagement of an adjustable stop 36%, carried by the shipper-lever, with a part; of the frame of the mhaeine.

In case any unusual resistance tothe open anon of the machine is encountered, the driving-"force transmitted through the bev A eoiripression-spririg 352 eled projections B-Q overcomes thepressure of the spring 5540, sothat these projections movement of the disk to, the left. The disk then engages the upper end of the tri lever 358 and swings this lever to the left,

so as to disengage the latch from the detent 35a, whereupon the shipper-lever moves'as;

ride out of the recesses, thus permitting a 

